In small bowl add the water, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and the yeast, making
sure it is warm water. Let it ferment for 10 minutes till bubbles form.
In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, and sugar. Add a cup of the
warm milk and the yeast mixture, and stir till the dough is smooth, adding
more milk if you need to. Put the dough in a buttered bowl, cover and let
rise for 1 1/2 hours. Place a couple of spoonfuls of flour on to a piece of
plastic wrap and place the butter on top. Sprinkle some flour on the butter
and cover with plastic wrap. You now must pound the butter gently with the
rolling pin to flatten it into a square, working in the flour as you knead
through the plastic. Shape into a 5 inch square. You may now use it or keep
in the fridge to keep it cool, you must not let it get warm. It must be
workable but not brittle cold or greasy warm.

Roll the dough on a well floured work area to make an eight inch square. Put
the butter diagonally in the center of the dough and lightly mark around the
butter with a dull knife. Remove butter and roll each marked corner of the
dough out to form a flap. Moisten these flaps lightly with water and put the
butter back on dough, wrapping tightly. Stretch flaps a little to reach
across the dough bundle. Wrap loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45
minutes.

On a well floured surface, keeping dough seam side up, gently roll dough
bundle into a rectangle 7 by 12 inches. Brush off all flour off the dough,
and fold dough into thirds as you would fold a letter. This is the first
“turn.”

Before each turn, move the dough so that the seam end is on your left. Wipe
the work area, reflour, and roll and fold a second time exactly the same
way, turning the dough over occasionally to keep seams and edges even. Be
sure to roll into all four corners of the dough and use a pastry scraper to
even the edges. ( A metal spatula works fine too.)

Mark the dough with 2 marks to remind yourself that 2 turns have been done.
Wrap with plastic wrap and then foil and refrigerate for 45 minutes. The
dough must not chill longer or the butter will not distribute evenly.
Keep folding and rolling the dough, marking the turns and resting 35-45
minutes between turns, until four turns have been completed.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, then foil, and refrigrate overnight.
The next day, take out the dough and let it sit at room temperature for
10-15 minutes or until soft enough to roll.
Turn the dough once more, then cut it in half and roll it out to form a
rectangle, 12 by 36 inches and 1/8 inch thick. Cut it into 2 long pieces
(each will be 6 by 36 inches). Cut each piece into twelve triangles (each
one will measure 3 inches at it’s base).

Roll each triangle, starting at the base and working toward the point. It is
easier if you grab the point with one hand and stretch it a little, then
roll towards the pointy end. Place them on a buttered sheet and let rise for
one hour. They will be slightly puffy and lighter when touched, but not
increasing so much in size.

Preheat the oven to 475*F. Brush the croissants with the lightly beaten egg
mixed with a spoon of water. Bake for 5 minutes, then lower the heat to
400*F and continue baking for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove
immediately from baking sheets to a cooling rack. Check carefully towards
the end of the cooking time as some may cook faster than others.

They last 2 days at room temperature, 3 months frozen. Reheat on baking
sheet in a 325*F oven for 5 minutes.

Variation: Petits Pains au Chocolat

To make chocolate croissants you will need to make the dough into 2
rectangles each 18 by 6 by 1/8 inch thick. Cut each rectangle in half and
roll it out to form four strips. Cut each of those in fours measuring 4 by 3
inch pieces.
Using a fine semisweet chocolate bar, break it into 6 pieces and place one
piece of chocolate onto each croissant and roll it up into a rectangle.
Moisten and bake as for regular croissants